


Which Witch Is Which

by hearts_reflection



Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M, Familiar Castiel, M/M, Magic AU, Witch Dean
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-03
Updated: 2014-09-21
Packaged: 2018-01-03 08:23:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1068215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hearts_reflection/pseuds/hearts_reflection
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A witch/familiar AU featuring 19 year old Dean who doesn't know he's got magic, Castiel as a familiar, and a bunch of people claiming to be something they aren't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. And So It Begins

The evening air was chilly as Dean walked out of the hospital, given the fact it was mid September it's not like he was really surprised. Walking down the steps, Dean turned on his phone, he usually turned it off while visiting his mom as to not bother the other patient his mother shared the room with. Unlike Mary, she wasn't in a coma. 

He kept walking as his phone loaded and finally turned on. A text from Bobby saying Sam got there okay, and a text from Sam.

**How's mom doing?**

**She's doing like she has been the past couple weeks kiddo.** He replied grimly. It had been nearly a month since Mary was hit by a drunk driver who had fallen asleep while driving. Stupid bastard was totally okay besides a few cuts. 

 **She's just healing, she'll pull through. You'll see.** Was Sam's reply. Dean smiled at his faith in that ideal, but he was already preparing for the worst. He had too much to worry about if she did die, so he may as well start the prepping now just in case. He had to think about what was best for Sammy. 

**Yea well, how's your stupid project coming along for your class?**

**It's going good, Bobby has a lot of useful books on the history of religion. My history teacher is going to be blown away.**  

**That's great Sammy, text me if you finish early and want me to come get you or just sleep there.**

**It's Sam you jerk. Talk to you later.**

**Later bitch.**

He put away his phone and started the walk home, he didn't drive because he wanted to conserve the gas, and it was only a forty minute walk. After a few minutes of walking Dean noticed a person had been following him since he had walked out of the hospital. Taking a few random turns down streets that didn't lead to his apartment he confirmed this person was definitely stalking him. He kept walking till he was entering a small lot that use to have an abandoned shop on it till it fell apart, and was now up for sale. The person who was following him chuckled and walked onto the lot also.

"So I wasn't as sneaky as I thought I was I guess." The woman's voice snickered. 

"You mind if I ask who you are, and more specifically why you're following me?" He asked, shifting from foot to foot, uncomfortable that this wasn't a friend of his playing a joke on him. The woman was rather short, maybe 5'5". She pulled off her hood to reveal shoulder length hair that framed her face, brown eyes and a smirk that really freaking annoyed him. 

"You can call me Ruby. And I have to say, for someone of your caliber, why aren't you masking your power better? You really should have done that, because then I never would have sensed you." She chucked again and took a step forward, still smirking at him.

"Sensed me? What power? Are you on something lady?" He rambled, confused and now freaked out. Taking a step backward as she took another one foreword she continued to laugh at him loud and openly now. 

"You don't need to play dumb, there isn't any one around. Why don't you call your familiar to your aide. If I kill you both at the same time, neither of you will have to suffer any more than needed." She held her hand out in front with the palm up, and a red light started to glow above her hand.

"What the hell are you doing? What's a familiar?" Dean knew he'd been working a little too hard lately, medical bills were hard to pay off when you had to look after a fifteen year old kid by yourself, but he wasn't _this_ tired. 

"You're starting to get on my nerves a little. Call forth your familiar or you'll die with out them by your side, and then I will hunt them down by their cries of pain and kill them very, very slowly." The light in her palm was glowing brighter now, it almost looked like fire. 

"I do not know what you're talking about! What the hell is a familiar?" With the sentence barely out of his lips the woman, Ruby, snarled and threw the red glow ball thing at him. He dodged only to have another one hit him in the chest and holy shit, it _hurt_. He felt the ball burn right through his jacket, shirt and then burn his skin. Falling to his side he focused on Ruby as she threw more of the balls at him. This is not how he liked balls coming at him in the slightest. 

Dodging two more of the attacks by rolling to his side very fast, he jumped to his feet and ran at Ruby. "Will you stop throwing those stupid things!" He yelled as he punched her in the face. Woman or not this bitch was totally attacking him for no reason, he didn't care that his mother raised him to not hit a woman, this bitch was obviously insane. She stumbled backward, obviously not expecting to be punch. Dean kicked her legs out from under her and attempted to run away as she fell. He felt a hot seeing pain on his back then felt himself being lifted off the ground and thrown into the side of the building on the other lot. 

When he blinked the white dots of pain away from his vision he saw Ruby stumbling to her feet, her murderous glare aimed at him. She raised her hand towards him and he felt his arm twist in a painful way then was pinned behind his back. Sprinting towards him she slapped his stomach and he felt a very painful electric shock begin there and spread through his whole body. The pain was so intense he couldn't breathe, even after it had dulled. Ruby grabbed his head by his hair and pulled it up. 

"Last chance pretty boy. Where's your familiar?" Jesus christ was this bitch still asking about that? How clearer did he need to make it that he had no idea what she was talking about? He took a deep breath.

"Don't. Know…. what you're…. Talking about. Bitch." He was proud he even got that sentence out at all, his whole body hurt and he was very sure he had a concussion. Ruby growled and the next thing Dean knew he felt a stabbing pain in his side, he glanced down to see his left side seeping blood. "Shit." was all he got out before Ruby lifted him by the throat and slammed him against the wall. How was this little woman so strong? She started to chant something he couldn't understand and his vision started to go dim. He struggled to breathe or move his body to get away from her but found it impossible. So this is how Dean was going to bite it, some little lady kicks his ass in an abandoned lot and then offs him. 

As he felt himself slipping into unconsciousness or death he heard steps in front of him that couldn't have been from Ruby. A loud crashing noise came from in front of him and he felt his body get thrown to the side as his throat was ripped out of Ruby's grip. Ruby screamed in rage and he vaguely heard a scuffle before Ruby screamed again, this time in pain. And then silence. 

A few moments went by, where he found himself too dizzy to open his eyes, before he heard footsteps slowly approach him. Strong and unknown hands rolled him onto his back where he gathered the energy to open his eyes finally. When he did, his eyes met a pair of blue eyes looking into his. He noticed dark brown hair and a tan coat over a suit. They looked at each other for a few seconds, both silent. Till the unknown man broke the silence. 

"Are you stupid or possibly suicidal?" The man asked in a rough and deep voice. It was a really nice voice.

"Umm." He groaned out. "Neither?" Is how he answered, unsure why he was being asked this in the first place.

The man sighed at his answer. "If you are neither, then why did you not fight back? She was fully intent upon killing you to gain your power. Why didn't you call your familiar to help you fight her off?" 

"Holy crap, you're crazy too?" Dean asked the stranger weakly. He was so tired. "I don't know what _power_ you two are blabbing on about, or what the hell a familiar is. I'm just a simple high school drop out who was walking home, I didn't ask for miss psycho to throw fire balls at me." Talking was making his head hurt worse, he hoped this attractive stranger who saved his ass would at least help him back into a vertical position so he could go home and sleep this night off. 

Said stranger stared at him with an empty look of disbelief. "You don't know what you are?" He asked timidly. 

"What do you mean what I am?" He asked straight back as he tried to sit up. Half way into the sitting position his side was jolted and Dean cringed and fell back on the ground. "What the fuck did she do to me?" Moving had made him feel much more drained than he was just a couple seconds ago. The stranger grabbed him by the shoulder and raised him into a sitting position, his vision getting little black dots as he did. 

"Where do you live?" Was what he asked. Dean gave him a suspicious look. "I need to get you some where to heal, either tell me where you live or I'll take you to my place." And that was a definite no, in Dean's book. He had to be home for Sammy. After rattling off his address to the stranger, he closed his eyes but felt his body being lifted again, causing him to open them again. The stranger had him standing sorta, more like he was leaning on him with his arm slung over the guys shoulder, as the stranger supported his entire body weight and then he began to drag/carry Dean to his apartment.

"I'm Dean by the way. Thanks for saving my ass. Did you knock her out or something?" He slurred as he felt himself begin to slowly black out. He felt the strangers shoulders tense a little underneath his arm. 

"I killed her actually." He replied sullenly. "There was no way I could have knocked her out and she wouldn't have stayed away from you. She knew what your presence felt like, it wouldn't have been hard to track you down. Especially since you can't seem to hide it at all." 

Nothing this guy was making made sense. He had killed someone, yet Dean wasn't really bothered by it. "You didn't tell me your name…" Was his slurred reply. They went on in silence till they got to the front of Dean's building. Dean was barely awake to hear the mans hesitant response. 

"My name is Castiel." Is the reply Dean received, he smiled at the hesitant tone the man, now known as Castiel, had responded in. The name really suited him. 

"Nice to meet you Cas." He whispered as he let himself sink into blackness, barely hearing Castiel calling out his name.


	2. Not His Typical Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean is healing, Sam has had enough of Dean's new "friend" and Cas can't help but stay with Dean. (Think of this as a pain killer for the midseason finale if you'd like.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a wee bit shorter than the last but I got all I needed in what I thought it needed, chapters may be getting a bit longer from now as the plot thickens- and by longer I am hoping another few hundred words! 
> 
> Thank you to all who are reading, leaving your beautiful kudos and comments and those who have already bookmarked this- I am so blown away with gratitude, you're all so freaking awesome. 
> 
> This chapter was edited by my friend, and you should all love her because she doesn't even watch this show (yet) and she edited it for me. follow at http://tanngrisnir.tumblr.com
> 
> Enjoy the closest thing I can get to fluff.

Awareness kept fading in and out around Dean's mind. He was vaguely aware of soft, but unknown words whispered above him, his body slowly feeling less sore, the sound of something almost like a motor idling near his head. Confusing since he felt like he was lying on a bed. There was a blissful empty space that passed between the early moments of awareness and the moment of waking to Sam throwing a pillow at him. 

"What the hell Dean!? I understand you sleeping in till noon but four in the afternoon is ridiculous! You missed work and made Bobby worried. And why do you get a cat, you won't let me have a dog!" He opened his eyes and blearily stared at Sam, mind not catching all of what he was saying. Sam's face look annoyed but his anger was replaced with concern when he saw Dean sit up. "Holy shit, what happened to you?" And then Sam was sitting next to him on the bed looking at his chest. 

Dean himself looked down to see his whole chest covered in a big purple bruise, his left side had a bandage over it, held on by medical tape, and bandages wrapped in some places on his arms. "You've got another bruise like the one on your chest on your back too." Sam said as he ghosted his fingers over the one on his back. "Were you jumped or something? Is this why you didn't call back last night?" With his younger brother flustering around him asking him questions Dean attempted to recall the previous night. 

"I was walking home from the hospital after seeing mom, I had texted you and was half way home when I noticed someone following me so I went to an open lot so I could confront them. I thought it was Joe honestly, you know, she could have been playing a joke on me?" Sam nodded, knowing Joe would play around with Dean like that just like the brat she was. "I remember talking to her, some stranger named Ruby I think is what she said. But then things get all jumbled and there was another guy and fighting. I don't really remember how I even got home." 

That wasn't an entire lie, but there was no way Dean was going to tell Sam a little girl threw him around with out touching him. He could only remember up until he and that dude Cas…. what ever his name was, got to the door of the building. And Dean's place was on the third floor, so he could only assume Cas had carried him up here and patched him up. 

"That doesn't explain the cat Dean." Sam said, sounding irritated again. 

"What cat?" He turned his gaze to follow to where Sam's bitch face was looking at. Next to Dean's pillow, a black cat had curled it's self into a ball in-between the wall and him. "What the hell?" Dean almost shouted, it's not that he hated cats, he was allergic to them and they shed, and he was really at a loss to why a cat was in his bed. Dean's loud exclamation rose the cat from it's slumber, Sam and him watched as it opened it's eyes to reveal a bright blue that glanced at Sam then stared at Dean. "Why are you in here you flea bag?" He asked the cat accusingly. 

Sam moved to pick it up but froze when it growled at him. Dean attempted to get off the bed and away from the now angry cat, but when he moved too suddenly his side erupted in pain and he fell back onto the bed on his right side with his back to the cat. 

"Dean are you alri-" Sam asked as he moved foreword, but the cat jumped in front of Dean and hissed at him. "Dude control your pet. I need to see his side you stupid thing." His brother attempted again to approach Dean but the cat bared it's fangs and growled again. "You know what? Fine. Dean I'm going to run over to Bobby's and get him to come over, since I can't find your phone. Wait here with your demon cat till Bobby and I get back with a kennel." Sam threw over his shoulder as he exited the room. 

"Jee, thanks Sammy for leaving me with an angry, psycho cat." Dean shouted as loud as he could.

"The thing is protecting you from me Dean, so it likes you I think. It just won't let me your injury so just sit tight for half an hour!" Was the shout he got in reply. 

"Stupid hormonal teenager." He mumbled to himself as the cat turned and stared at him. "Well what the hell do you want? There's a can of tuna in the fridge, go get it yourself." He mumbled to the cat this time. Closing his eyes he didn't even register he had fallen asleep until a hand shook his shoulder. 

"What Sam?" He muttered as he tried to turn his head into the pillow. "I don't feel good, just let me sleep it off." 

"I'm afraid you can't sleep this off Dean." Answered a voice that unless Sam had hit puberty at hyper speed, was not his brothers. His eyes shot open as he bolted to sit up, only to have his side protest painfully and two hands push him back down into a lying position. "Calm down Dean. That woman stabbed you with magic, I haven't had time to actually heal it, just stop the bleeding. Would you please not move? You're only making it worse." Dean made eye contact with the man from last night. 

"Cas?" He gasped through the pain that he was evidently causing himself. Cas gave him a small, reassuring smile then returned his attention back to Dean's left side. The wound looked horrible, dark blotchy red with puss seeping out from the giant hole that had been left there. 

"You're very lucky. The way she stabbed you, she didn't get deep enough to damage any organs, but the amount of black magic is what's making it so painful. Try and hold still for me please?" Cas gazed at Dean for a moment until Dean gave him a nod. Cas started to chant something it what he suspected was latin, and his hand began to glow a white light with a bluish tint. "Remember to breathe Dean." He said just as he placed his hand on Dean's wound. 

Dean would have screamed had it not been for Cas's hand over his mouth, which muffled the screams into groans. The process went of for what seemed like hours to Dean before Cas lowered his hand to reveal the wound looking much cleaner than it had before Cas did his light show. The wound was now a light shade of pink and the puss had stopped seeping from it. When he looked up at Cas he noticed the other mans forehead was shimmering with sweat and he appeared out of breath. "Hey you okay Cas?" Dean wheezed out, good lord he was feeling tired again. 

Cas smiled down at him before chucking quietly. "It's interesting you call me "Cas." You've only known me for a little over a day and have already given me a nickname." He sat down on the bed next to Dean and looked down at the bruise on his chest. 

"I couldn't remember your full name." He mumbled sleepily. 

He actually laughed at Dean's remark this time. "Well seeing as I told you when I think you were nearly unconscious I can understand. It's Castiel."  Castiel traced the bruises on Dean's chest before standing up and walking over to Dean's closet, where he pulled out the trench coat he had seen him wearing yesterday. He rooted through the pockets and pulled out a small vial. "Do you have something you wear on a daily basis, every time you go out?" Dean nodded and reached for his neck, but couldn't find the necklace Sam had given him. Castiel, knowing what he was looking for reached over onto the nightstand and held up his necklace. "This?" Dean nodded again and Cas sat down on the bed next to him again. "I'm going to douse this in a warding potion, it isn't very strong but it won't allow people who aren't actively looking for you to plainly see you. This way another situation like last night won't occur." 

Dean was starting to drift as Cas soaked the necklace in the weird liquid. "Cas, what's going on? What was the deal with Ruby and attacking me, how'd you freaking kill her I mean she was psychotic." He tried to ask all the questions he was thinking of but Castiel put a finger to his lips though. 

"Dean, you should sleep. It isn't easy to "bounce back" as you call it, from dark magic entering your body." He stood up and pulled a bandage from his coat pocket and another vial. He poured the vials contents over his wound and put the fresh bandage over it. "Just a herbal cleanser that will get any thing I missed. Sleep now alright? You need to heal and I need to recharge." Castiel stood up and began to walk away but Dean grabbed his coat.

"Are you leaving?" He managed to whisper. Castiel smiled and shook his head. Dean smiled back and slowly began to drift off to sleep. The sound of feet moving to the closet and then moving back to him lulled him off to sleep, but Castiel's voice still rang clear when he was more asleep than awake.

"I'll watch over you Dean."


	3. Doubt Falls From Black Wings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens, with one of the antagonists finally making an appearance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YEA, this chapter got a little out of hand, it wasn't suppose to be THIS long but it happened after I had an epiphany in the shower which now takes the plot in a minor different direction in some ways, but the end result is still the same. 
> 
> I'd like to thank tumblr user sergeantsarcasm1 who can be found at http://wendigos.co.vu, for editing this chapter  
> And my good friend Becca (allkindsofcrazythings (Becca22) on AO3 and alkindsofcrazythings on tumblr, for proof reading also, to the best of her abilities but also making sure this plot is okay.  
> (you guys should go follow those two for sure)
> 
> I hope you guys all like this chapter!

Dean never heard Sam coming back in with Bobby, when he woke up the next morning at 6:40 he sat up hesitantly to see if his side would be okay. Not feeling any pain he swung his legs over the edge of the bed, only to have the movement rouse the cat sleeping next to him from it's slumber. It blinked at him slowly after it stood up and stretched, then nudged it's head into his arm purring. "Well aren't you friendly." He mumbled to the mysterious creature that some how got into his room. Both of their heads looked up to the sound of someone opening the door, eyes landing upon Bobby. 

"Since when are you a cat person idjit?" The burly man grumbled at him. Dean simply shrugged as the cat slowly quieted it's purrs. It growled when Bobby took a step into the room. "Tell your stupid cat to let me in the room Dean, Sam and I have been trying to get in all night and every time we opened the door, that thing jumped over you and hissed and growled at us." 

"Hey, cat, this is my uncle Bobby, would you oh so kindly let him pass and enter my humble room?" He said mockingly, as if Dean could control the actions of a stray cat that showed up in his room. To his and Bobby's surprise the cat glanced at Dean once, then back at Bobby before slowly lying down next to Dean. It didn't move or make a sound when Bobby took a hesitant step forward.

"Well I'll be damned. Sucks that you're allergic to cats Dean, looks like you're a cat whisperer." Bobby joked as he approached Dean, still weary of the cat. He knelt in front of Dean, "Alright, show me your battle wounds." He helped Dean take off the bandage over his side, tracing the wounds edges before moving his eyes to examine the bruise on Dean's chest. He asked Dean to lean forward and took minute to look at the one on his back before he let Dean sit back up and he stood back while giving Dean a concerned look. 

"Sam said you got jumped or something?" Bobby asked hesitantly. 

Dean rubbed his hands over his face and then dragged them through his hair. "Bobby I do not know what happened honestly. This chick was a grade A psycho and was attacking me, asking me about a familiar, and then she said she was going to kill me to take something I had. The way she was fighting, I couldn't even fight back. She was just about to kill me before this guy came along and pulled her off me. I think he's the one who brought me back here, cause I gave him my address but I only remember making it to the entrance of the building." 

"You're saying a girl did this to you?" Bobby asked with a tone of disbelief in his voice.

"Bobby, I will tell Ellen and Joe that you just asked me that question if you don't stop looking at me like that. I swear this chick was on PCP probably, no idea, but she was winning." 

"Then how did that guy beat her?" 

"I don't know, caught her by surprise? She was pretty focused on killing me." 

"You gonna file a police report? Garth is still pretty low on the ranks there, but he still owes me so many favors so we could have him push this to tip priority." 

Dean glanced away from Bobby before he answered that. "No need to. That guy who helped me took care of her." 

"What do you mean, 'took care of' Dean?" Dean's silence was the only answer Bobby apparently needed. "Jesus Christ, the bastard killed her? Dean you need to report this, especially if there's any evidence tied to you." 

"I don't know who she was, who the guy who killed her was, where either of them went, what exactly do you want me to tell them? If they come asking around then they would be able to tell from the evidence on me, that I was the one being beaten up not doing the beating." 

"You're such an idjit." Bobby spat before standing up. "Do you want some coffee before you go to the garage to cover for Ash at ten?" 

"Yea that'd be awesome, thanks Bobby." He replied rubbing his face again. 

"You take it slow today, you hear me? I don't need you causing more pain on yourself by rushing too fast with any thing. Already got one Winchester in the hospital, don't need two of them." He threw over his shoulder as he left Dean's room. Dean grumbled to himself again before standing up, noticing only now that the whole time he'd been in bed, he'd only been wearing boxers. He saw the clothes he was attacked in, clean and freshly folded, sitting on top of his dresser.

"So, Castiel undressed me and did my laundry, that's normal. But nothing about last night was normal now was it?" He asked the cat sitting on his bed who was now staring at him. Dean shrugged when the cat continued to stare at him. Grabbing a fresh pair of jeans, underwear, and a teeshirt, Dean went into the bathroom and showered. The hot water felt like heaven rolling over his sore body as he massaged that shampoo into his scalp and rinsed. Standing under the water a little longer before reluctantly turning off the water, he quickly got dressed and went back into his room. 

He took notice of the necklace Sam had given him resting in the same place Castiel had left it on the nightstand next to his bed. Rolling it around in his fingers for a minute in thought before slipping it over his neck, he shook off the weird dream he had about Castiel last night. To make sure it was a dream he went over to his closet and glanced inside, no trench coat. That meant he had imagined the whole thing then. Dean slowly put on his sock and shoes mindful to the cat staring at him from the bed. 

"Are you going to leave any time soon or do I need to go get a litter box?" He asked the cat as if it could answer. "I'm not suppose to have animals in the apartment you know. Not really a rule but if my dad comes back and sees you…." He trailed off. Their father John was a cruel man, even before their moms accident he was a heavy drinker and worked odd jobs around the state. "He's been gone for nearly two months now you know, so he could be due to come back any time now. And he's violent enough, so if you know what's good for you, you should leave."

The cat had raised it's head and was looking at him with it's head tilted to the side, as if it was trying to make sense of what Dean meant. He hesitantly reached his hand forward and pet it's head, he was awarded with a loud purr. "Seriously, he will do some nasty things to you if he finds you here, best to scram alright?" He tried to make his point clear by opening the window near the end of his bed that lead to the fire escape. That so happened to be locked. "I will never get how you got in here fur ball, it's been golden, but you need to get lost."  And with that last remark Dean left his room and shut his door. 

He peaked into Sam's room and saw him asleep with a book hugged to his chest. The sight made him smile as he closed Sam's door and walked through the kitchen, nodding at Bobby as he poured some coffee and grabbed a pop tart, him and Bobby walked out the door, Dean locking it behind him. The drive to Bobby's garage was quiet as Dean nodded off against the window to the sound of Metallica and Bobby's road rage grumbling. His shift lasted all of five hours before Bobby told him to go home out of fear he'd fall over. Instead of going home, Dean walked to the nearest bus stop and rode it to the hospital. Walking through the lobby the nurse at the desk, Missouri, gave him a smile and nod to go ahead. 

On the second floor he stood outside his mom's room. He didn't have his phone on him like usual so he didn't need to worry about switching it off as he quietly opened the door. His moms roommate so to speak, Pamela, was in the hospital until her temporary blindness went away from a fight with her boyfriend Jessy that ended with her receiving a bad head trauma. She may be temporarily blind, but it didn't stop her from flirting with Dean. 

"Well hello there handsome, would recognize your quiet shuffle any where. You didn't come in last night, I missed you." She said with out lifting her head from the pillow.

"You know, if you never recover your sight at least you can rely on your scary good hearing. And I couldn't come in because of work sadly, one of the guys got sick" He lied quickly hoping she wouldn't know. Pamela laughed at his joke and pressed the nurse call button.

"Yea well the doc said since my head ache went away my sight should be back soon. I'll let you have your 20 minutes with your mom alone as I go flirt with the male nurses in the lounge alright? I hope your coworker gets better soon, I like your daily visits." She responded sounding a bit distant to him. 

"I'm telling you Pam, you shouldn't deprive the women of the world of you, they'll start to feel left out." Jokes were good, jokes distracted her. 

"We can't all fluctuate between genders as easily as you sweetheart." Was the light hearted remark she gave before one of the nurses came in and took her away in a wheel chair. Dean will never understand how that woman can know so much about him even though they've only talked a few hours. 

He walked around the curtain that separated his moms and Pam's beds. His mom looked better, he face was still bruised and had some cut, her arm was in a cast and she had a bandage around her head where the window had hit her. 

"Hi mom…" His voice felt small as he sat in the chair next to her, taking her hand in his. "So, I still haven't gotten a hold of dad, neither has Bobby or Ellen. Is it wrong of me to hope that maybe after we do get a hold of him, and he knows a drunk driver did this, that he'll stop drinking? I know you've said before he never means what he says or does when he is, but mom he's raised a hand to you and me, how long do you think it'll be till he does the same to Sammy? I can't protect him if I can't be at home and if you're gone then no one can calm him down….." Rubbing his thumb over his hand he swallowed hard. "Sammy still doesn't want to come see you, I can't really blame him. Kid's so hopeful you're going to pull through that seeing you like this would break him. Bobby's been covering the medical bills since we can't find dad, but how long till him and Jody run out of money… 

I need you to pull through mom, you can't leave Sammy alone with me and dad, do you want him to have a dysfunctional life after high school?" He choked. This wasn't what he wanted to say to her, especially if she could hear him. He rubbed his hand over his eyes to erase any tears that might have tried to escape, and then cleared his voice. "So yesterday night after I visited you, you'll never guess what happened. A chick attacked me using magic. Yea, I'm serious. Magic. She flung me around, threw fire balls at me, and was going to seriously kill me I think. But before she did this hot guy, his name is Castiel, showed up and killed her- actually killed her. Then he took me home and healed where the bitch had stabbed me. That's why I didn't visit yesterday by the way, I was sleeping off what Cas called dark magic. I wonder if him and that chick were taking the same drugs, you get me?" 

His mom never responds. He talks about work a bit, Sammy's school report and just talks for the next hour. At some point he rests his head next to his moms side, still holding her hand, and allows himself to rest his eyes till Pam comes back, drifting off to the steady sounds of his moms monitors. 

\---

He isn't aware of how long he slept before his shoulders are being roughly shaken and his name is being called in a quiet but panicked voice.

"Dean! You need to wake up! We have to get you out of here." The voice quickly demands before the shakes rouse Dean enough for him to open his eyes. He meets the gaze of none other than Castiel. 

"Cas are you stalking me?" He asks still a little asleep. 

"No Dean. Will you hurry up? If we don't leave, you'll lead him to your mother, that would not be good." Cas grabbed Dean from under his arms and pulled him up.

"Cas what the hell are you doing?" 

"Dean what's going on? Who's with you? Dean?" Pam was frantically pushing the nurse call button. 

"Pam it's fine he's sorta a friend, he's just being weird." He quickly tried to cover but Pam wasn't convinced. 

"You leave Dean alone you abomination." She hissed in Cas' direction. He noticed Cas flinch at the word. He slowly turned his head to Pam.

"I'm sorry to do this ma'am but you're causing a ruckus." Cas said solemnly as he slowly raised his hand and whispered something under his breath. Dean didn't have time to ask what he meant before Pam slumped back against her bed.

"Cas! What the hell did you just do to her?!" He struggled in Cas' hold to go to Pam's side, but his hold was unbreakable as he dragged Dean from the room away from Pam and his mom. 

"I just influenced her to go to sleep, will you please stop struggling? Not only will you open your wound but you're going to cause unwanted attention." Cas stated as he pulled Dean to the stairs. 

"Unwanted attention from who?!" Dean was getting irritated as Cas shoved him into the stairwell and then grabbed his hands and pulled him down them. They made it half way down to the first floor before Cas stopped in his tracks. He was about to ask Cas what was up before he heard it himself. The door to the stairs being opened below them.

"We're looking for the scrawny blonde kid who Ruby was tracking down last night, her last report said she found him coming out of the hospital the other night and she hasn't reported back since. Find him, and bring him to me. You all know what he looks like, now go!" The voice commanded and they heard footsteps start up the stairs. 

Cas swore under his breath before whispering another string of unidentified words and then was tugging Dean back up the stairs, past the second floor. "It's the man that Ruby worked for Dean, she reported you to her boss and now he wants your power." Cas hissed at him as he tugged him up the stairs. They were on the fifth floor of the hospital before Dean realized where Cas was heading.

"Why are we heading to the roof you psycho?!" Dean whispered as loud as he could, not wanting to be heard by the owners of the voices and footsteps below them. 

"So we can escape of coarse." 

"What by jumping?!" 

"How else does one escape by roof top?" Cas deadpanned back to him.

Dean tried to twist his wrist from Cas' grip but his grip only tightened. They ran through the door to the roof only to see a man standing several feet in front of them. Cas put himself in between the man and Dean, still not letting go of Dean's wrist. 

"I sensed your presence here abomination. I know how you fear conflict so I figured you'd go to the roof. How else would you have room for your escape spell?" The man who stood in front of them was an older man, his hair was silver and his skin was mildly tan. The one thing that caught Dean's attention was his eyes, they were yellow. 

"Azazel, you don't need him. His power is minuscule compared to others in this town. Leave him be." Cas' voice was cold and carried no emotion other than hate in it. The man he was speaking to, Azazel, simply laughed at Cas' offer. 

"It's not just his power we seek, Castiel. We need individuals of power for a certain ritual we are going to do. Your boy there, just so happens to exceed the required amount of juice, so he's easily worth two sacrifices." 

What the hell. Sacrifices? Rituals? Was Dean still asleep? He attempted to step back only to have Cas stop him with a squeeze to his arm. No, he wasn't asleep. He was in deep shit.

"I'm sorry to inform you about this, but this child is not on the menu for any rituals, he has my protection." Cas slowly tugged Dean around to the front of his body, back against his chest with his arms wrapped around him. He leaned in and whispered into Dean's ear. "I need you to focus on the idea of an invisible wall in front of us alright? Concentrate no matter what." Cas leaned back and began to mutter his mysterious language again. 

Azazel threw his head back and laughed loudly while clutching his sides. "Castiel, your protection isn't worth much seeing as you're not bonded to any one. You're using your own power well and that won't protect this boy from all of us." Cas ignored him and kept chanting. Dean ignored him also and focused on imaging an invisible wall. He didn't know why he was but Cas seemed to need him to, so he might as well. 

"Well if you're going to be like that…" Azazel sighed before extending his arms out and saying something in the same language as Cas. Dean was beginning to freak out when a giant black ball started to form, much like what Ruby had did only this one didn't look like fire. Dean's concentration was beginning to break before he heard Cas stop whispering behind him.

"Only a a few seconds more Dean. Just concentrate."

And he did. He concentrated as Azazel shot the black orb at them, he was about to flinch when the ball reached a foot in front of them, before it hit an invisible wall. Hearing an angry shout from Azazel was the last thing he registered before his mind focused only on the feeling of his body being lifted off the ground, and into the air. Dean grasped Cas' arms and turned to look behind him, but his view was obstructed by a large black wing. 

"Don't worry Dean, I won't drop you." Cas said as he flew off the roof of the hospital, carrying Dean into the night towards the park.


	4. Magic History for Dummies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas gives Dean a quick history lesson

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO ALL. I am super sorry I haven't updated in ages I have had so much going on with work, family, and personal issues and had to quit my job because of some family issues and now have SO much time to write so for the next month or so I will try to crank out as many chapters as I can. Let me know if this chapter is awful because I'm not feeling it with all my heart as I should be when writing but I wanted to update for you all and not leave you hanging any longer than I needed. So thoughts, comments, concerns, complaints, demands for me to stop writing while I can- just give me some feed back. Love you all so much you rock!

Dean readied himself as Cas lowered their flight pattern down towards the park. As soon as his feet touched the ground he tore himself from the arms around him and barreled out of their hold. He scurried away on all fours, turning back to see Cas chant the last couple words to something then the wings he had magically grown on his back glowed a blue dimly then disappear. Cas slumped down onto his knees and was trying to catch his breath.

"Cas. What. The hell. Is going on?" Dean asked him, anger starting to leak through his voice.

He stared at Cas as the man held up a finger only and continued to focus on his breathing. Dean was about to get up and walk away before Cas finally spoke. "Are you aware you have magic running through you, Dean?" He asked quietly. Cas looked up to meet Dean's eyes. "I'll take your silence as a no. There's a masking charm on you, so I can't tell how powerful you are, actually no one can. But the charm is wearing off and I can sense more power coming from you now than the night I met you, so you're more powerful than I had originally thought."

"I'm sorry, Cas- that's insane. I do not have magic, YOU are on drugs." Dean stated. There was no way he had magic because there was no such thing. Cas stood up and stood in front of him.

"If I am on drugs, then how did Azazel's attack get blocked? Or how did I grow wings and fly here from the hospital?" The man stated. These were all very good points Dean thought to himself. If they were on drugs than Dean wouldn't be seeing this shit too.

"Well then you obviously drugged me. None of this is real, you aren't real, the stuff at the hospital wasn't real, it's all jus-" Cas cut him off by stabbing Dean's arm with a pocket knife. "FUCK! Cas! Why did you do that!?" He tried to back away from Cas quickly but was stopped by Cas pulling out the knife then putting his hand over it. Dean saw his lips move and his hand glowed that white blue light again as his arm began to tingle. When Cas pulled his hand away a few moments later, Dean's arm wasn't hurt at all and clean of all blood like he'd never been stabbed.

"You stabbed me…" He whispered.

"Yes and then I healed you. Do you believe me now?" Cas asked him, sounding annoyed. Dean nodded slowly. "Good. Now we have to get back to your apartment and figure this out, it will take me a while to work my way through that charm someone casted on you to figure out just how powerful you are." Cas held his hand out to Dean to pull him up, which Dean took gratefully.

"Why does how powerful I am matter? You said I wasn't to that guy on the roof."

"I lied Dean. People do that to divert people off paths that could harm clueless magic baring teenagers." Was the dry reply Cas gave him.

"Well jee Cas, give it to me gently why don't you?" Dean began walking towards the park exit, the park was only five blocks from his place.

"Nothing I just said was gentle Dean, you are quite ignorant to how dangerous of a situation you are in." Cas replied confused as he followed Dean.

"That was sarcasm you trench coat wearing baby." He retorted. The look on Cas's face made him laugh. "Don't give me that look, you insulted me first." And to that Cas huffed and they continued to walk.

"So I have a few questions." He said after they reached the park gate. "Of coarse you do. Ask away." "Okay, if I have magic, does that make me a witch? I never got my invite to Hogwarts." Cas laughed at this.

"Hogwarts isn't an actual school Dean, and if it were you wouldn't be invited to attend any way seeing as it's a European school for people in their country. There aren't any schools either, witches run through a collection of blood lines going back centuries. You were suppose to be taught by your mother or father, I'm assuming your mother because I did sense power from her, it was weak though. She's probably trying to heal herself."

"My mother is a witch too?!" Dean exclaimed.

"Well yes Dean, you wouldn't be one had she or your father had given you the gene. And I haven't met your father yet, but gathering from what you told me this morning and what you said to your mother at the hospital, I don't want to." Cas grumbled the last part. When did he and Cas talk in the morning… "What do you mean what I told you this morning? I don't remember talking to you at all this morning. Just that stray cat who… No way."Dean's train of thought was abandoned as he saw Cas smirk.

"Yes Dean, that was me. You are a witch and I am what is known as a familiar, a witches companion. I chose to take the form of a cat after I was trained."

"Trained?" He asked Cas, shock still evident in his voice.

"Yes, by my brother Gabriel. Our parents died when we were young and my other siblings were too busy to train me then so Gabriel volunteered."

"So," Dean was still processing this insanity. "Ruby was looking for my familiar why? I didn't even know I was a witch how could I have a familiar?"

"Well she didn't know that. And commonly witches and familiars families go back centuries. So say your mother was best friends with someone- they could be her familiar, and both your mothers parents and their parents arranged them to be witch and familiar when they were children. Your mother never introduced you to another child and was very adamant about you getting along with them?" Cas asked.

"No she didn't, I don't know any of my mom's family, she has friends but they were all friends of my dads first."

"I see. Maybe she was the one who put the masking charm on you, perhaps she didn't want you to live a witches life."

"I don't know why she would do that… Does this mean Sam is a witch too?" Dean asked suddenly worried. "If that charm is wearing off on me then it'd be wearing off on him too."

"You're brother is safe, he does have some power I believe but not like you do. That could also just be genetic, so he can't cast spells like you perhaps but he may be gifted with visions, reciting spells or charms or even potions, casting that doesn't require raw magic."

"What do you mean raw magic?" Why was this stuff confusing? Didn't magic mean just magic? Cas sighed as they walked through Dean's apartment entrance and stopped him before they went up the stairs.

"Let me see if I can explain this better. Okay- You are from what I can tell, significantly more powerful than Sam, he is also still young and won't reach full magical maturity until he's eighteen, but your magic is raw and in you. You can cast things by picturing them in your mind with out reciting spells. I Have to cast with spells or objects because I lack that ability. Sam has magic but not as much as you. It's still there though which means he can be like me and cast small things with spells and objects. He could possibly have a gift such as sight, fortune telling, necromancy, or an elemental one. Magic is vast and complicated and a lot of things depend on the person who has it."

"So you don't have powerful magic because you have to use spells?" Dean questioned. "You did that bamf spell with the wings though..."

"I'm a familiar Dean, my magic set up is entirely different than yours. Familiars are magic, we are born of it and when we aren't here on earth we're in another plane of existence entirely. We only come to earth when we are summoned or banished here and we are considerably more powerful than witches, but only when partnered with one due to the fact our energy isn't as substantial as a witches."

Dean was quite as he took all this in. "If you have to be partnered with someone, then where's your witch Cas?"

Cas looked down and fidgeted with the belt of his coat. "I've never been bound to a witch Dean." He said quietly.

"Why not? You seem pretty powerful with out being bound to one, so why have you never been-?" Dean's mind flashed him the memory of Pam calling him an abomination. "Is it because of what Pam said? You're an…" He didn't want to say the words.

"I'm an abomination, yes. Though cursed would be the more correct way to put it. None of that now though, lets go upstairs. I'm going to need to rest before I try to look through that charm of yours."

Dean nodded and followed Cas up the stairs. If Cas was never summoned here, then that meant he had been banished. He wondered if he should trust a familiar who had been banished and was considered an abomination, or cursed in his words. Though Cas hadn't given Dean a reason not to and Dean was getting the feeling maybe Cas's situation was misunderstood by everyone, maybe even Cas himself. 


	5. Illuminating Danger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Banter for all, freshly baked goods, and some plot twist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow look I am still here, it's not abandoned I swear I'm just a horrible person who can't keep decent scheduled updates. There is a magical fight scene in this chapter and someone does bite the dust, no one really important. So if deaths bother you, just sorta skim over that.
> 
> And as always we must all thank Becca who motivates me to write, proof reads the chapters and gets me to actually post. Go visit her on tumblr (allkindsofcrazythings) and give her some love!

He had known about magic for not even a whole day and Dean could tell you one thing, he hated it. After they'd both slept some and Sam had left for school, Cas had spent the majority of the chilly and grey morning staring at Dean as to try to break through the charm and gauge how powerful Dean was. It was so boring, and creepy.

"Cas, I don't think you staring at me for hours on end will help you see past a magical charm, it's creepy okay?"

"I'm fairly positive I've almost gotten it Dean, just a few more minutes." Cas muttered as he continued to stare intently.

Dean rolled his eyes and stood up from his bed and headed towards the kitchen.

"Dean, no!" Cas called to him as he left the room. "Now I have to start all over again!"

"You'd have to any way if we both starve to death. You want a sandwich or something?" He asked as he pulled out the lunch meat, cheese, and mustard from the fridge.

"Familiars don't eat Dean, we sustain our bodies health through magic." "You don't eat?! Just because you don't have to doesn't mean you shouldn't! Food is great! You ever had a burger?" He practically demanded, how could he never have eaten a burger. The familiars small head shake told Dean that no, he never had eaten a burger. "Good lord, please tell me you've had pie Cas, once?" Another shake. "How long have you been alive and have not ever eaten a slice of pie?!"

Cas had paused and had a look of recollection on his face. "I believe I've been here since before America was settled, I originally was in England for a few years, then after the American revolution I decided I wanted a change of scenery and have been here since then. It's much easier to travel around here than in Britain."

"Holy shit dude, you're old. Like really old."

"I do not age Dean. Not unless I consciously feel like doing so." He stated dryly. "Enough about my magic and abilities though, I am very curious to see what you can do."

Dean looks up from the sandwich he was making. "What do you mean what I can do?" He took a bit of his sandwich. "I thought you were happy just staring at me till you saw the light."

"Yes, though I might be able to tell more accurately if I look at you while you are doing magic. I was a bit distracted the last time when you made the shield to protect us. I am curious to see if when you are actively casting, if it were possible for me to see a rough estimate of your power." He paused and looked at Dean. "I guess since your power hasn't really increased since yesterday that I can sense, you may be completely to peak abilities wise."

"Okay then, so what do you want me to do then Cas? Make another invisible wall? Bend a spoon?" Dean popped the last bite of his sandwich in his mouth and began to put things away.

"Why would I want you to bend a spoon Dean? That would ruin the spoons usefulness." Was he serious? "May I ask you to for instance, levitate this book?" Cas asks him, holding up one of Sam's english books. Dean stares at it for a long moment, expecting it to float out of Cas's hand. "You have to concentrate very hard Dean, picture it in your mind floating."

"I'm doing that Cas, shut up and let me concentrate will ya?" Dean stared the book down with more determination. After what seemed like hours the book flew out of the familiars hand and onto the floor. He blinked and looked away from the book on the floor, pinching his nose as he felt a headache start to form behind his eyes.

"I said levitate Dean, not throw." He could hear the slight annoyance and impatience in Cas' voice.

"I tried man, it's not like I have years of practice at this. Is there any thing easier I can try?"

"There isn't really anything much easier than levitating. Especially with your type of magic." Cas says in patronizing way. How was Dean suppose to know the levels of magic using?

"What about the wall thing? The summoning a magical wall I did last night?"

"I am actually surprised you could do that, summoning things like that out of nothing is essentially more difficult than the standard beginning… Dean what are you doing?"

Dean had closed his eyes and placed his fingers on his temples, it was corny but he'd seen movies of people who used magic before, it could help. He focused all of his concentration on the one thing he wanted to conjure into the room. "Pay attention Cas, this might not work." He mumbled as he brought up all the memories he could of his moms amazing apple pie, tried to recall every detail. Moments when by when he heard Cas let out a quiet gasp.

"Dean…"

And to that he opened his eyes. On the counter in front of Cas, was a steaming pie with golden crust. He smiled and looked up at Cas, who was staring at Dean with wide eyes. "What?" He asked care free, he could now summon pies out of thin air- his life just got way better.

"You have no problem summoning something from nothing, yet you can't levitate? That's backwards training." Cas stated.

"Dude, when it comes to pie I can probably do anything. It's pie." Dean went over to the cabinet and got down two plates, set them on the table and then grabbed two forks and a knife. "I don't care if you don't have to eat, you're eating this pie." He told Cas as he cut two slices.

"I don't know if it's safe to eat an inexperienced witches conjured food. What if you made it undercooked or accidentally added poison in it? We should test it before-" Dean silenced him by shoving a forkful of pie in his mouth. His bodied tensed a moment before he started chewing, his face having faded into one more of astonishment than worry.

Dean chuckled to himself and placed the slice of pie and fork in front of Cas, and then ate a bite of his own. The crust was flakey and warm, the filling was the perfect texture and tasted just like the pies his mom usually makes. Usually made.

"This is amazing Dean, was the dish recently invented?" Cas asked him as he took another bite. The question made Dean almost choke on his bite as he laughed.

"No Cas, pie has been around a way long time."

"Fascinating. Perhaps I will explore human foods now, ones you suggest though. Your opinion seems to be spot on."

"Well I have been eating professionally since I was like one. As most humans do…" Cas nodded and didn't seem to catch the sarcasm in Dean's voice. "So did you see my experience points when I summoned the awesome pie?"

Cas looked up at him."What experience points? Experience points in what?"

Dean groaned and repressed the urge to let his head fall on the counter. "You've been alive for so long and never played a video game?"

"Are those games about movies?" Cas deadpanned back.

"Alright, never mind. I mean did you see like what my witch levels were or what ever?" The familiar quickly looked down at his plate to avoid Dean's gaze. "Cas?" Dean leaned down to catch the other mans eye. Their eyes met and Cas let out a sigh.

"I did not Dean. If your mother casted this, then she is significantly more powerful than I am on my own. I might be able to see through it, or possibly break it if I were bound to a witch. Sadly I am not though." Cas put his fork back down on his now empty plate.

"Well Cas it isn't your fault, maybe I'm not just that powerful." To this he saw Cas rolled his eyes.

"Dean please, you are powerful. You heard Azazel. Your mother perhaps knew how powerful you were and that is why this charm or spell is so difficult to break, it was casted specifically to keep you hidden. Though now it may be a bit cracked from you performing magic."

"Wait so if I do magic the spell wears off?" Dean all of a sudden felt panicked at this news.

"No no. Only strong magic. The protective barrier you formed last night just barely cracked it to the point I can tell you are possibly far more powerful than I or even Azazel thought." Dean nodded slowly. "So as long as you avoid powerful magic you should be alright."

He was about to ask Cas another question before he heard a key turning the lock. Both him and Cas looked toward the front door to see Sam come in. "Crap." He mumbled under his breath, he hadn't even noticed the time while he and Cas had been talking. It was a little after four and today was the day he was suppose to work the bar.

"Hey Dean… Who's your friend?" Sam asked as he set his backpack down.

"Oh, uh. This is my friend Cas-"

"Castiel." Cas interrupted.

"Castiel." He rolled his eyes. "Cas for short. He's a friend I met at the hospital the other day. He's never had apple pie before so I made some for him to try." The lie rolling off his lips as smooth as it came to his mind he hoped. He caught the glance that Cas had given him before turning to Sam.

"It's wonderful to meet you Sam. Dean has spoken highly of you." Sam blushed slightly at the statement and ran a hand through his hair.

"He's probably over exaggerated everything just so you know."

"I doubt that sincerely Sam, Dean doesn't strike me as a spinner of falsehoods. You have no need to be so modest."

Sam smiled at Castiel once more before clearing his throat and turning to Dean. "Don't you have work at the bar tonight Dean?"

"Yes I do, do you want to keep Castiel company while I shower and get changed?"

"Sure, if that's okay with him."

"I would be very pleased to have your company Sam." Dean smiled and left the room.

He took a very quick shower and changed into his dark jeans that loosely fitted him for comfort and a plain black teeshirt. Shoving his apron into his backpack, his phone into his pocket, and grabbing his keys, he was ready for work. Sam and Cas were talking chatting idly when he came into the living room.

"Okay well I'm off to work, Cas you want me to drop you off at home?"

"That is agreeable yes." The familiar stood up, after politely excusing himself from his conversation with Sam. "I'll meet you down at the entrance." And Cas was gone.

"Okay Sam, you know the drill, stay here, text or call me if you leave and you go get Chuck down the hall if something catches fire." He ruffled Sam's hair and pulled him into a one armed hug before Sam was groaning and pushing him away.

"Go to work you sap. Be careful, don't need you hurt again." Sam locked the door as Dean left.

When Dean exited his buildings front entrance Cas was immediately at his side. "How far away is your work?"

"Doesn't matter, come on." He jingling his keys. "We're driving." Cas followed him across the road to where he had parked his baby. The drive to the Road House was filled with Cas asking Dean why he worked at a bar when he was underaged and how much trouble he could get in if the police ever caught him. "Cas, the law doesn't care here. I know there sherif and he knows I work here. He's not gonna bust me for it because I'm friends with the owner."

"He seems to not be very good at his job if he's letting minors serve alcohol." Cas muttered.

"Wow, I don't serve alcohol buddy. I clean off tables, serve food, wash dishes, and help cook. Ellen doesn't want to loose her place." He defended as they stepped out of the impala. Cas seemed to be alright with Dean working there now that he knew he wasn't serving alcohol. "Okay, you wanna I don't know, go off and do your thing now? Go home?"

"No, I think I would like to stay here at the bar while you work if that's acceptable. You still have Azazel after you and he definitely knows who you are now, so just so be safe I'd like to stay." With that said Cas started walking towards the entrance.

"Okay, fine. Just don't cause any trouble!" He shouted at him and turned to use the staff entrance. The night was averagely slow for a Tuesday night, all the usuals came in and had their drinks and socialized before they took their leave. His shift flew by until it was a half hour till they closed. Cas was sitting off in a corner drinking a glass of wine Ellen had served him a while back, a local couple was sitting at the bar talking about their future together, and a blonde woman was sitting at a small table near the door sipping on what looked like a sickly sweet drink.

Since it was so empty Dean went about his closing duties in back, knowing Ellen, Jo, or Ash would holler if they needed him. He focussed on the dishes until he was told to take out the trash a while later. Quickly ducking upfront to tell Cas he'd be another few minutes before they could leave, he was met with an entire empty bar minus Ash collecting empty bottles. Shrugging it off he went and grabbed Ash's trash and the ones from the kitchen and threw them into the rubber cart and wheeled the trash out back. The scene he was met with around the corner was mortifying.

The blonde woman from before had her hand gripped in Cas' hair as he was being pulled off the ground to his knees by her. His face was covered in blood and his clothes were torn. She had a long silver blade lifted up and aimed for his throat that she had now revealed by pulling his head back further. Not hesitating Dean abandoned his cart and fully launched himself at this woman about to kill his friend.

Their bodies collided and flung to the ground, both of them landing with a grunt. Dean felt his body lift and be thrown off of this woman he now guessed had magic as well. This was really not a good week for him. He landed hard on his side and quickly rolled over and sat up. The woman was now standing in an offensive stance and glaring at him.

"You're the one who killed Ruby." She stated with malice.

"I didn't kill that bitch lady." He spared a glance at Cas to his left, who had now backed up and had a hand over his throat as to soothe the thought of almost being stabbed through it. They made eye contact for a moment and Cas looked terrified Dean was about to sell him out. "She got herself killed though, didn't she?" He said casting a glare at the threat. "I mean, coming after someone on my level?" He let out a small prayer that his bluff would scare her into leaving.

"So you admit you are powerful then! If you are so powerful than why do you have this abomination defend you behind your back? He wouldn't even let me challenge you." She spat at him.

"You were going to ambush him, not challenge. That's why you were watching him all night." Cas snapped back at her.

"It doesn't matter how I do it, I am here to kill you young man. Will you comply?"

Was she seriously asking that question? Dean slowly got to his knees and stood up. He saw Cas in the corner of his eye do the same. "You know what lady?" The woman began to smirk as though his tone of voice indicated surrender. "I don't think I will." Her face contorted into one of anger and frustration.

"Fine. Have it your way." She muttered and began to chant in a language different than Cas' but similar.

Not wasting time to ask Cas what to do, Dean closed his eyes and concentrated. He pictured the woman in front of him very detailed in his mind, he imagined and willed her body temperature to rise to fatal levels. He'd read it in a book once and he'd be damned if he wouldn't at least try this before he was killed. The woman's chatting slowed and started to stutter, and then turned into screaming. Focusing past her screams he imagined her turning to charcoal and crumbling into ash. He heard the slump of her body as her screams slowly died.

Opening his eyes he saw a pile of ash in front of him. He felt relief before he fell to side and into Cas' hold. He felt himself being lowered to the ground and Cas shaking him gently, and heard him saying his name and asking questions. Not noticing his eyes had fallen shut he pried them open and saw Cas' battered, worried face and his lips forming his name.

"Glad you're okay man." He mumbled out before he closed his eyes and gave into the luring call of sleep.

*********

Castiel had been worried about the boy, he had literally found on pure coincidence in the need to go for a walk the night he met him, constantly since the night he had met him. It seemed his special talent was to attract trouble and not be aware of it. He didn't know what possessed him to help him the night they met, to stay around and make sure he healed correctly, and even protect him from what he knows now is the boys own family. Yet here he was days later sitting and waiting for him to get off work so he can get him home safely.

It's while he's waiting he feels a malevolent presence enter the bar. He locates the person it belongs to immediately and suppresses a hiss when he sees who it is. Lilith. Azazel's familiar. For the rest of the night he watches her watching Dean as he talks with customers and coworkers, clears off tables, serves food, and then eventually starts cleaning up. A woman shouts for Dean to take the trash out back is when he sees Lilith move from her seat and head out the door. Knowing her plan he follows her where she plans to ambush his now self proclaimed charge.

She had sensed him as well though and had ambushed him in the end. Her power was much greater than his though not for lack of trying. He had been on his knees and utterly defeated about to be killed when Dean had tackled her to the ground. Such a human way of fighting Lilith hadn't probably expected it. He did predict she would throw him off her though, but Dean almost immediately was turned around and on guard. At least he had learned something these past few days.

He experienced a moment of terror when he thought Dean was going to reveal him as Ruby's killer. Azazel had many followers and valued all of them and it was a death sentence to have one of his own know of him killing her. Dean had surprised him though by lying to Lilith. It seemed to have backfired and only motivated her more in her mission to claim his life. When she had started to chant a spell he thinks was for painful death curse, he panicked and readied himself to jump in front of it when it was casted. Dean had other plans though.

His gaze had been focussed on Lilith to time the spell when he noticed her starting to smoke and slowly stop her casting and then screaming as her body was engulfed in flames that seemed to come from her own skin. He looked over at Dean to see actively casting a spell he had never seen before with his mind, but that's not all he saw.

Around Dean's body he saw a translucent golden sphere that dimmed the very bright light beaming from Dean as he casted what was apparently a lot of magic. This was his magic. The charm hadn't been broken but weakened enough in that moment for him to see what he guessed was maybe half of Dean's power. It was beautiful. His first impression of the witch had been horribly wrong. He wasn't weak and unable to defend himself, he had been hidden and protected and left untrained to keep him safe. He'd never seen anything like Dean's magic before.

The glow around Dean dimmed and then faded as Lilith turned to ash and fell to the ground. Castiel walked over to Dean in time to see him open his eyes slightly and begin to collapse, Castiel easily caught him though. He hadn't thought about how much magic Dean was capable of using before exhausting himself, but obviously he had reached a little too far over his limit. Gently shaking him and calling out his name, in hopes to get a response so he would know he hadn't taken so much of his energy to become fatal, he tried to rouse Dean.

He was rewarded when Dean's eyes cracked open again and he smiled slightly. "Glad you're okay man." He had rasped out before closing his eyes again and his body slumped, now unconscious. Castiel let a small huff of laughter. The imbecile had been worried for his safety, not his own. He casted that spell to help defend Castiel as much, maybe more than himself. Still smiling to himself, he gathered up the sleeping moron in his arms and carried him to the car Dean had driven them here in. After bucking him in to the vehicle and finding his keys in his pocket, he drove them back to Dean's apartment. It was around one in the morning now, he hoped his younger brother was in bed asleep now and wouldn't be awake to wonder why he was bringing his brother home unconscious.

With Dean in his arms he made his way up the flights of stairs to his door and shifted Dean's body to unlock it. Quietly creeping in he closed the door and repositioned Dean again so he was carrying him more comfortably with both arms. As he walked through the living room he nearly had a heart attack when a lamp turned on and revealed Sam sitting on the couch with a revolver in his hands, pointed at Castiel's head.

"I want you to tell me who you really are and what you did to Dean the other day." Sam demands coldly as he stares into Castiel's eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoy this! Can't guarantee a lot of scheduled updates for this, but I do have a lot of it all planned out. So please enjoy the journey of my random fic idea.  
> (comments, suggestions, and kudos are all always appreciated!)


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